Lawmakers ditch town halls: 'They want to avoid those gotcha moments'

Some members are taking heat for not reaching out to their constituents.

By HEATHER CAYGLE 08/21/2018 05:08 AM EDT

Wither the town hall.

Long gone are the angry mobs of voters pushing and shoving one another, hissing and shouting down lawmakers — in one instance, hanging a lawmaker in effigy at an anti-Obamacare protest — that defined Congress’ summer of hell in 2009.

Even the outbursts last year, fueled by a fiery liberal base intent on stopping President Donald Trump and by constituents outraged over GOP attempts to dismantle Obamacare, are a distant memory.

So far, the August recess is quiet. Very quiet. And lawmakers on both sides of the aisle seem to prefer it that way.

Members have scheduled only about 180 in-person events this recess, a nearly 70 percent decrease from the same time last year, according to data tracked by Legistorm.

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https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/21/congress-town-halls-gotcha-public-meetings-789430